Apparatus for automatically attaching a patch to a commercial document

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a magnetic patch attaching device wherein a continuous roll or reel of adhesively backed magnetic stripes are arranged so that introduction of a document into the machine by means of which the stripe is to be attached permits the reel of tape to be advanced in such manner that an individual stripe is peeled away from the backing tape and applied to the document while the latter is simultaneously withdrawn from the apparatus, the tape being pressure bonded to the surface of the document during withdrawal of the document, leaving the apparatus available for the introduction of the next document.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a magnetizable label or patch attachingmeans for automatically, adhesively securing a magnetizable strip ofmaterial to a commercial document such, for example, as a savings bankpassbook at a precise location thereon without accumulating tape feederror and without leaving partially exposed adhesive at the end of thefeeding cycle.

No prior art device is known for performing precisely the same functionas that of the present invention. Prior art apparatus for dispensing,printing, and/or attaching labels of one kind or another are not easilyand/or efficiently adaptable to perform the present functions without acomplete redesign of such device if, in fact, the presently sought endresults could thereby be achieved at all.

It is an important and primary object of the present invention,therefore, to provide label and/or patch dispensing and adheringapparatus wherein adhesively backed items such as labels or patchescarrying magnetizable material thereon are precisely and accuratelyaligned with respect to an edge portion of a savings bank passbook. Theapparatus of the invention includes means for adhesively bonding thelabel or patch to the passbook cover as the passbook is automaticallyextracted or withdrawn from the apparatus to provide for the extrapassbook label application.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided amagnetizable adhesive label or patch dispensing and attaching apparatuscomprising a storage reel for a continuous magnetizable label carryingtape, means for advancing the tape into juxtaposition with an item suchas a savings bank passbook to the surface of which said label or patchis to be attached, clutch means operable upon engagement with said itemfor releasing said advancing means, and means for causing said label orpatch to peel away from the carrier tape to which it is temporarilysecured and for pressure bonding said label or patch to said passbookcover at a precisely defined and oriented location thereon whileconcurrently and simultaneously ejecting the passbook from theapparatus.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of the dispensing apparatus of theinvention with portions partly broken away to expose internalcooperating elements;

FIG. 2 is a right side elevational view of the device of FIG. 1 withportions partially broken away to expose internal mechanisms;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of a portion of the apparatus shown in FIG. 2illustrating the cooperation of the elements therein;

FIG. 4 is an isometric detail view of the gear train cluster includingthe hand crank drive of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of a portion of the device illustratedin FIG. 1 showing the mechanism in operation;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged detail isometric view of a portion of themechanism shown in FIG. 1 illustrating the magnetic label being peeledaway from the backing tape; and

FIG. 7 is an enlarged detail view of a portion of a bank passbook with alabel attached thereto.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

The magnetic patch attaching apparatus 10 of the present invention, asshown in one or more of the various views of the accompanying drawings,comprises a rigid vertical supporting structural member 12 secured, forexample, as by bolts or otherwise in conventional fashion to a rigid,flat, horizontally disposed frame member 14 forming a base for theapparatus. A suction cup 16 of rubber or other suitable or similarmaterial is secured at each corner of the substantially rectangular basemember 14 and all four cups act to prevent the apparatus from shiftingor moving during operation thereof as will become clearly apparent asthe description proceeds. The vertical wall member 12 providesattachment and support means for the various fixed and movable elementsof the present invention as will now be described in more detail.

Referring first to FIG. 1 of the drawings, a roll 18 of pressuresensitive adhesive items, for example labels or patches 20, die cut,carrying a magnetizable stripe 22 thereon, see FIGS. 6 and 7, areattached to a continuous length of release paper 24 in a manner to bedescribed shortly. A supply reel 26 for tape roll 18 is rotatablymounted, by means of an enlarged patch roll arbor 28, onto threadedshaft 30 projecting horizontally, outwardly away from vertical wallmember 12. Supply reel 26 includes a fixed reel or flange member 32 anda demountable flange or reel member 34, the latter being secured as aretaining member against the tape roll 18 to retain the same on theshaft by means of a thumb nut 36 threadedly engaged over the shaft 30.

Typically, the patch or label is 21/4 inches long by 1/2 inch wide. Themagnetizable material is a stripe 21/4 inches long by 0.080 inches inwidth. The individual patches are spaced apart longitudinally from oneanother along the release paper tape 24 at intervals of 1/4 inch. Inorder to synchronize the movement of the tape and stripe with the meansfor advancing the same, an identifying mark 38, FIG. 6, such as an arrowis located on the tape and identifies a hole 40 in the tape locatedadjacent the leading edge of the stripe 22 for purposes which willbecome apparent as the description proceeds. The release tape 24 isapproximately 3/4 inch wide and is adapted to be pin or sprocket fed ina manner still to be described, and to this end is provided with thepreviously identified sprocket holes 40 punched along one edge thereofadjacent and parallel to the magnetizable stripe 22 as seen most clearlyin FIG. 6 of the drawings.

The tape carrier 24 is fed from the supply reel 26 to and around ahighly polished fixed turn bar or drum 42 against the press of a flat,plate-like spring biased pressure or hold foot 44 rockably pivoted intoengagement with the tape surface. The tape then passes vertically,upwardly and then sharply backwardly, in reverse direction, around anupper fixed guide pin 46, thence downwardly and around lower fixed guidepin 48 rightwardly to and around sprocket drive wheel 50 in a manner toengage the sprocket holes 40 of the tape 24 with the projecting pins 52of the sprocket wheel 50 to be finally peeled away therefrom and ejectedleftwardly over the stripper pin 54 at the base of the machine.

In order that the magnetic stripe is properly and accurately alignedwith the precise area of the document to which it is to be applied, thesprocket wheel side surface is provided with identifying means 56 such,for example, as a grooved line which is alignable with the arrow mark 38providing a witness mark for the hole 40 located adjacent the leadingedge of the magnetic stripe 22. An arcuately pivoted hold down member 58curved to closely fit the contour of the wheel 50 is rockable by meansof the thumb nut 60 toward and away from the wheel to hold or releasethe tape as designed, i.e., when loading and unloading the tape.

Adjacent the turn bar 42 and slightly forward thereof (leftwardly inFIG. 1) are two vertically projecting channel or guide members 62 and64, FIGS. 1 and 2, which together form an item or document receivingthroat area for the document, e.g., savings bank passbook 66, FIGS. 2and 7, employed therewith. Guide members 62 and 64 are substantiallyU-shaped throughout their length as seen in FIG. 5 and each is providedwith a flaired portion 68 at the upper ends thereof, such portion beingangled toward the operator (rightwardly in FIG. 1) for convenience ofaccess thereto as will become more fully apparent as the descriptionproceeds. Horizontally projecting rods 70 provide means for adjustably,slidably orienting guide members 62 toward and away from fixed guidemembers 64. The rods are split in two along their length and areassembled and disassembled by screwing one into the other. This permitsease of storage and shipment. The inner guide member 64 being fixedprovides a fixed immovable reference surface against which the passbookis received and moved for accurate and precise location of the stripe22. Thumb nuts 72 on channel member 62 permit adjustment thereof to befixed so that the throat opening between the two guide members can bealtered or changed to accomodate varying size documents or passbookitems and thereafter rigidly secured against accidental dislodgement ofmovement during use or transport.

Disposed for rotation on a horizontally projecting shaft 74 is amagnetic patch applicator or attacher wheel 76 of resilient materialsuch, for example, as rubber, etc. A flat area 78 is formed or cut intothe wheel and acts, among other things, as a clearance cutout forpassage of the item 66 during operation of the apparatus in a manner tobe explained shortly. Adjacent the axial center of wheel 76 there islocated a back-up anvil 80 adjustably attached to a shaft 82 projectingfrom wall 12. The anvil 80 is, as seen, eccentric on the shaft 82, thusto accomodate various thicknesses of document items, etc. so as toprovide the desired degree of pressure between the wheel 76 and theanvil, thereby to drive the book or item out of the throat as themagnetic patch is attached thereto. Immediately above the applicatorwheel 76 is an acruately movable roller member 84 biased by means of aspring 86 into the throat area or pathway of travel of the passbook 66.Roller 84 provides additional pressure against the magnetic patch tofurther assure that the patch is permanently secured on the passbook asthe passbook is ejected from the apparatus.

Directly beneath the extreme lower end portion 88 of the passbook throatforming guides 62 and 64 is a clutch trip arm 90 rockably secured at itsinboard end to a shaft 92 projecting through wall 12. The oppositeoutboard, free end of the trip arm 90 carries a horizontally projectingtang 94 which extends outwardly, perpendicularly to wall 12 into thepath of the movement of the passbook 66 as it is lowered into throatarea of the apparatus.

The apparatus of the present invention may be hand or motor operateddepending upon the desired degree of automaticity required and the speedwith which the operations employing the device are to be carried out.Hand operation will be described, it being noted that a motor ofsuitable size and horse power could be employed in substitution for thehand operation if such is desired.

As seen in FIGS. 2 and 4 particularly, the apparatus 10 is drivinglyactuated by means of a hand crank 96 through a compound gear cluster andvarious cams and detents each of which will now be described. Hand crank96 is secured to horizontal shaft 98 extending through vertical wallmember 12, the latter being rigidly supported on both sides of wall 12by means of rectangular shaft supports 100, 102. Adjacent shaft support100 on the side opposite the reel of tape is a rotatable hand crankdetent member 104, FIG. 3, provided with a radial peripheral notch 106for purposes to be explained shortly. Disposed in abutting relationshipto detent 104 and on the same shaft is a triangularly shaped cam member108 provided with an arcuately angled adjustment slot 110. Cam 108 ispinned to shaft 98 by means of a set screw through the spacer hub 112thereof. The cam is arcuately adjustable after which it is fixed intoposition relative to the detent member 104 by means of a screw 114projecting through the slot 110 and threaded into the detent 104.

Forwardly of cam 108 and abutting the hub 112 is a gear assembly 116most clearly shown in FIGS. 2 and 4. Gear 116a of assembly 116 includesa full complement of peripheral teeth 118 while gear 116b of assembly116 is provided with approximately one-half the total number of teeth ofgear 116a as shown in FIG. 2 of the drawings. The gears 116a and 116bare secured together in abutting relationship as by bolts and are pinnedto shaft 98 by means of a set screw enabling the gears to rotate as aunit with the shaft. A one-way clutch 119 disposed on shaft 98 couplesthe shaft to the crank 96 and effectively prevents reverse(counterclockwise) movement of the crank and shaft 98.

Immediately below and slightly to the right of gear assembly 116 asviewed in FIGS. 2 and 4, a gear wheel 120 similar to gear 116a issecured to and rotatable with shaft 51 carrying drive sprocket wheel 50.Gear 120 is adapted to mesh with the teeth of gear wheel 116b (havinghalf the number of teeth as its companion gear) as will shortly bedescribed. Concentrically mounted adjacent gear 120 on shaft 51 is asprocket drive wheel detent 122 pinned to and rotatable with this shaft.Cut into the perimeter of the member 122 are two notches-124,-124oppositely offset from one another by 180°, for purposes to be explainedpresently. Directly vertically above gear wheel 120 and on the samecenter line therewith is a gear 126 pinned to and rotatable with shaft74, the opposite end of which carries patch attacher wheel 76.

Since the attachment of the magnetizable stripe to the item passbook 66must necessarily be made at a fairly precise and accurately defined andoriented location thereon, means is provided for coordinating andsynchronizing the operation of the apparatus in a relatively precisesequence of movements maintained invariant by means of the previouslydescribed detents in conjunction with operating pawls now to bedescribed.

Slightly to the left and below cam 108 an L-shaped crank pawl 128 isrockably, pivotably mounted on a short stub shaft 130 in the wall 12 asseen in FIG. 3. The left, substantially vertically disposed portion 132of pawl 128 carries at its extremity a roller 134 engagable with theperipheral surface or edge of cam 108. The rightwardly extending portion136 of pawl 128 is provided with a projection or tang 138 receivable innotch 124 of detent 122. Pawl 128 is biased by means of spring 140toward the detent 122. To the right of shaft 98, adjacent the perimeterof cam 108, is located a hand crank pawl 142 pivoted on a short stubshaft 144 carrying a projection 146 at the end thereof. Member 142 isbiased by spring 148 so that projection 146 is receivable in notch 106in detent 104. As viewed in FIGS. 1 and 3, the apparatus hereinbeforedescribed is considered to be in the home, rest, or zero position withrespect to the cams and detents and is illustrated with the detents 104and 122 locking the gear train so as to prevent rotation of the handcrank.

With the apparatus in the condition illustrated in FIG. 1, that is tosay, with a reel of tape loaded on the reel supports and with the tapecarrying the magnetizable patches or labels fed over the pathwayidentified by the arrows 150 and with a mark 38 on the tape locatedopposite the mark 56 on the side of the sprocket wheel 50, the apparatusis ready for operation, as will now be described. The operator firstinserts the document item or passbook 66 into the throat area bounded bythe vertically canted channel members 62 and 64. The passbook is thenpushed downwardly past the clearance cutout 78 in the attacher roller soas to bottom against the end 94 of trip arm 90 rocking the latterdownwardly, i.e., counterclockwise, causing the crank pawl 142 to berocked counterclockwise, i.e., to the left in FIG. 1, releasing the end146 from the detent notch 106, enabling the hand crank 96, FIGS. 2 and4, to be rotated in a clockwise direction. Rotation of the crank handle96 causes the meshing gears to rotate in the direction of the arrows inFIG. 2 whereupon the leading tooth 152, FIGS. 2 and 4, of the half gearwheel 116b meshingly engages the teeth of gear 120 rotating the latterin the direction of the arrow thereon. Simultaneously cam lobe 108contacts roller 134 rocking L-shaped member 128 counterclockwise liftingprojection 138 out of the notch 124 in detent 122 permitting thesprocket drive wheel 50 to rotate advancing the tape.

Concurrently with the rotation of shaft 98 upper gear 126 meshing withgear 116a rotates the patch attacher resilient member 76 in a clockwisedirection, FIG. 1, causing the leading edge 154 of the patch to bepeeled outwardly, vertically away from the tape as a result of theabrupt change of direction of the tape as it passes over stud 46.Continued rotation of the crank handle causes the resilient patchattacher 76 to press the leading edge 154 of the patch against theexposed surface of the passbook 66. As the crank handle continuesrotation, the patch attaching member presses the patch against the bookwhich is in turn pressed against the back-up anvil 80 so that furtherrotation of the member 76 ejects the passbook vertically, upwardlysecuring the patch in transit to the book termination in a position inthe throat area where the passbook 66 is free of constriction and can beremoved to be replaced by a second passbook. As the hand crank rotates,the patch attacher 76 ultimately assumes a position with the cutout orflat portion 78 180° removed from the position shown in FIG. 1. At thispoint detent 122 has rotated counterclockwise to bring the notch 124into position where the projection 138 of arm 128 once again seatstherein. At this point in the rotation of the half gear wheel the lasttooth 156 of the series has passed beyond and out of engagement with thegear teeth of the lower gear 120 so that sprocket wheel rotation isterminated halting the advancement of the tape. Continued rotation ofthe hand crank causes the detent 104 to rotate to the position shown inFIG. 3 wherein the projection 146 of the member 142 engages the notch106 of the detent, locking the crank handle in a fixed position with thepatch attacher roller 76 in its home position as shown in FIG. 1 readyto accept a fresh passbook.

The device of the present invention is adaptable for use with documentsof varying thicknesses. Adjustment to accomodate such variance isprovided by the eccentric back-up anvil which can be rotated about studshaft 82 to alter the gap between the surface of the anvil and theperiphery of resilient member 76.

There has thus been described a novel and heretofore unknown means forattaching magnetizable material to machine readable documents easily,simply, and economically with the magnetizable patch or label accuratelypositioned within prescribed limits with no accumulated feeding errorand no partially exposed adhesive at the end of the cycle.

Apparatus as described and claimed herein is adapted for utilizationwith reading apparatus of the type described and claimed in U.S. PatentApplications; U.S. Ser. No. 186,203, filed Oct. 4, 1971, Hilliard R.DiVeto, A Machine Readable Magnetic Stripe and Reading EquipmentTherefore and U.S. Ser. No. 224,781, filed Feb. 9, 1972, Albert C.Williamson et al., Automatic Reading and Writing Mechanism for BankPassbooks and the Like.

What is claimed is:
 1. Apparatus for applying .[.a magnetizable.]..Iadd.an .Iaddend.overlay, e.g. stripe, to an item or document such as asavings bank passbook comprising:a supply of .[.magnetizable.]. tapes orpatches, a document receiving area adjacent said supply of tapeincluding document support means forming a throat into which saiddocument is inserted and advanced, and thereafter retracted and removed,means adjacent said document receiving area for advancing an individualpatch from said supply into contact with said document, means over whichsaid patches are caused to pass effective to detach a patch from saidsupply for application to said document, and means for adhering saidpatch to said document while simultaneously removably retracting saiddocument from said document receiving area.
 2. The invention inaccordance with claim 1 wherein said document receiving area includesoppositely disposed parallel channel guide members vertically orientedrelative to the advancing path of movement of said patches for receivingsaid document and holding the same during the patch attaching andretracting operation.
 3. Apparatus for applying .[.a magnetizable.]..Iadd.an .Iaddend.overlay, e.g. .[.magnetic.]. stripe, to an item ordocument such as a savings bank passbook comprising,a supply roll of.[.magnetizable.]. tapes or patches, each patch being spaced a precisedistance from an adjacent patch and demountably adhered to a continuousstrip of release material, means supporting said roll for free advancingmovement, a document receiving throat into which a document isintroduced and from which it is subsequently withdrawn, means foradvancing said release material a precise incremental distance insynchronism with the spacing of said patches thereon, oppositelydisposed projecting members in said throat area over which said releasematerial is moved for causing each patch to be peeled away therefrom forapplication to said document, means in said throat area for adhering areleased patch to said document and simultaneously withdrawing saiddocument from said throat area, and means engagable with said documentfor actuating said advancing means and said adhering means to apply saidpatch while withdrawing said document from said throat area.
 4. Theinvention in accordance with claim 2 wherein said channel guide membersare independently, adjustably, laterally positionable so as toaccommodate documents of varying size.
 5. The invention in accordancewith claim 3 wherein said means for adhering said patch comprises aresilient roller having a flat surface portion providing a clearance forsaid document as it enters said throat and an edge portion for grippingsaid patch as it is peeled from said release material.
 6. The inventionin accordance with claim 3 wherein said actuating means includes detentmeans operably associated with said tape roll advancing means,cam meansengagable by said actuating means and movable thereby to release saidtape advancing means to permit said tape to be moved, means engagablewith said cam means for locking said advancing means in a fixed or homeposition at the end of an operational cycle.
 7. Apparatus for applying a.[.magnetizable.]. stripe to an item such as a savings bank passbookcomprising,means supporting a supply of continuous release materialcarrying a plurality of .[.magnetizable.]. patches thereon, a documentreceiving throat area into which said item is received and from which itis automatically extracted, parallel means in said throat area forpeeling said patches from said release material one at a time,.[.magnetizable.]. patch attaching means including a clearance portionfor engaging said patch and a portion for extracting said item whileattaching said .[.magnetic.]. patch thereto, means in said throat areaadjacent said attaching means for varying the gap of said throat area asdesired, means engagable with said release material for advancing thelatter in synchronism with the positioning of said .[.magnetic.].patches so as to accurately position each patch in a precise location onsaid item, and actuating means in said throat area engagable by saiditem for releasing said advancing means permitting the latter to move a.[.magnetic.]. patch into contact with said item for application theretoby said attaching means as the item is withdrawn from said apparatus. 8.The invention in accordance with claim 7 wherein said gap varying meanscomprises a rotatable cam member forming a back-up anvil for said patchattaching means, said cam member being arranged in eccentric relation tosaid patch attaching means permitting said throat gap to be widened ornarrowed thus to accommodate documents of varying thicknesses.
 9. Theinvention in accordance with claim 7 wherein said release materialadvancing means further includes anti-back-up means preventing saidadvancing means from reversing direction. .Iadd.
 10. An apparatusaccording to claim 1 wherein said patch has an adhesive backing on thesurface to be bonded to said item and a stripe of magnetizable materialon the opposite surface thereof. .Iaddend..Iadd.
 11. An apparatusaccording to claim 3 wherein said patch has an adhesive backing on thesurface to be bonded to said item and a stripe of magnetizable materialon the opposite surface thereof. .Iaddend..Iadd.
 12. An apparatusaccording to claim 7 wherein said patch has an adhesive backing on thesurface to be bonded to said item and a stripe of magnetizable materialon the opposite surface thereof..Iaddend.